Louisa’s life changes the day she runs into a stranger in an alley, setting off a beautiful, heartbreaking, and quietly humorous story about friendship, grief, and what really matters in life.

I love stories about friendship, so My Friends was right up my alley. The author has a unique voice that was genuinely a pleasure to read. This story made me chuckle more than once, yet at the same time, I was teary-eyed before I’d even hit the 20% mark. The balance of humor, sadness, and inspiration was impressive—pulling that mix off isn’t easy, but Backman nailed it.

I especially appreciated the way the novel explored deep grief and that undertone of existential crisis, shadowed by the pain of loss. At its heart, though, this is a story about hope, loyalty, and what should truly be valued in life—children, friendship, and love. There’s also a beautiful celebration of art woven throughout, with reflections on what art really means.

There are so many serendipitous encounters in this story, which I loved. And it’s packed with memorable, inspirational one-liners—I kept wanting to write them down. One that stuck with me: “Nothing weighs more than someone’s belief in you.”

That said, the syntax drove me a little nuts at times. So many run-on sentences and comma splices tripped me up, and I found myself rereading passages often. I know stylistic choices like this can be intentional, but it did slow my reading and disrupt the flow for me.

In the end, though, My Friends is a beautifully told, heartfelt story—a tribute to the quiet power of friendship.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors. I have read almost everything he has written, and I love his prose. I went into this book expecting to love it and rate it highly. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with this one and even stopped reading it at one point with no intention of finishing it. However, I decided to come back to it a month later and did finish it. In the end, I liked the story well enough, but it will not be a book that I rank as a favorite or want to read again.

It's hard for me to describe why this book did not work for me. The prose is beautifully constructed as it always is in Backman's writing. There are so many quotable lines. For me, that is maybe part of the problem. It feels like too much, especially in the exposition of the book. I just wanted him to get on with the story. The characters are very well-developed, again a staple of Backman's writing.
However, I did not like the two main characters at the start of the book. Once the story started to focus on the group of friends, I was able to better engage with their story.

I believe that if I had started this book at a different time when I had more patience for the slow start, I would have probably enjoyed it a lot more. Overall, I acknowledge that it is a beautiful story of friendship and art, and it will be loved by most readers.

I absolutely love Fredrik Backman, his stories are so real and emotional. He knows how to keep readers hanging on to the end. What I really loved about this book is that he writes this as someone in life would tell their life story, not everything is so linear, you jump around because things come up that need a better explanation. I hope he continues to write his beautiful stories!

As always, I feel like anything Fredrik Backman writes should be considered required reading. "My Friends" took it up a notch - what started as an altercation with a 'homeless' man, a cat, and a girl trying to find her way, turned into a marvelous journey.

I highly recommend for anyone who loves long, slow stories - this one will have you tearing up.

Backman has created a world of startling and memorable characters that will stay with readers long after they finish the novel. He is masterful at conjuring up damaged people who touch the heart and leave a lasting imprint on all.

Louisa is homeless and lonely. Her best and only friend is dead and she's on a mission to see a piece of artwork up close. She is only one day short of becoming a legal adult (age 18) and is desperate to stay out of the hands of social services. Louisa's artistically talented and driven to get close to the masterpiece that's up for auction. When she gets close to the work of art, people presume she’s there to deface it and call the police. Now on the run, she bumps into a homeless man and her life is forever changed.

What causes her to be obsessed with the painting is the image itself and the fact that her mother, who long ago abandoned her, had sent the postcard with the artwork pictured, after she disappeared. Louisa has studied the painting and takes note of the tiny image in the corner of what appears to be three teens sitting on a dock by a lake. She is fascinated by what she assumes to be three good friends. Little does she know that her chance encounter with an ill homeless man will lead to a story of cherished friendship and a longing for days long gone.

Each of the characters deals with their own demons – abuse, depression, insecurity, unrequited love and poverty. Yet they are there for each other as the support system they desperately need. Louisa, like the teens from the painting, needs someone to look out for her.

Readers will be touched by each of them – the talented artist, the scrawny and scrappy Joar, Ted the loyal buddy and Ali, the girl who shines. Louisa learns their story and also about how the famous painting came to be. What we all learn is the crucial bond that friendship creates and that can sustain people even through the worst of times. This is Backman at his best; inviting readers into his world of damaged, forlorn people who cling to the life-raft of hope that good friends provide.

Every time I finish one of Fredrik Backman’s books, I say the same thing: “That was the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given.” His writing is just so real, raw, beautiful, honest. He understands people in a way that’s rare. His characters are messy and complicated and deeply human, and somehow he makes you care about every single one of them.

My Friends is no different. It’s tender and funny and quietly devastating. I already miss these characters like they were real people. I saw a bike parked outside a store the other day and thought, “Joar would have a field day with this,” and I just stood there feeling emotional over fictional people in public.

Backman’s stories stay with me long after I turn the last page. I’ll read everything he writes until the day I die, no question. Every book is unforgettable. I’m already counting down to whatever he gives us next.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

So I've been in the worst reading slump for the past six months to a year, and it just seems to continue. I went from reading 100 books a year and being a dedicated book blogger, to a single book taking me six weeks to finish and no desire to blog anymore. I'm not sure what's happened, but I blame the mentally exhausting state of the world right now.

Anyway, I keep hoping to pick up a book that reignites my love of reading, and I felt sure Backman's latest would be the thing. I've been a fan of his previous books, and while I DID enjoy this one, I struggled to pick it up, which is why it took me six weeks to finish. I'm not sure if it's the material or the unforgiving slump I've found myself in.

Let's start with the positives! I loved the premise of this one. A story about friends, old and new. I loved all the characters, the storyline, and the setting. It's mostly set in summer, near water, involves art, there's a train ride, and the best of friends. And now you're asking, then why the lower rating?? The first part of this book was great. I was enveloped in the story, especially the journey of Louisa and Ted. But it felt like with each chapter, it grew more and more overly sentimental. And I just kept thinking, I must have the most jaded heart to be finding a book by Fredrik Backman too emotional.

I felt like it was too long, as well, which might just be my slump, but the ending felt drawn out and very predictable for me. I will say that I feel like this would be better as an adaptation with the wonderful cast and setting. I feel like the emotion would translate better, at least for me, visually, if that makes sense.

As you can see from all the other 4 and 5 star ratings, I'm in a very small pool of readers who didn't love love this one. So I would say, if you're a fan of Backman, and especially a fan of emotional stories, then you should pick this one up!

Review: My Friends by Fredrik Backman

This book was everything I hoped it would be—tender, funny, deeply human, and quietly powerful. My Friends captures that nostalgic ache of youth—the kind of friendship that feels like home, even years later—and threads it into a story about art, memory, and how the people we love leave marks on us that time can’t erase.

Backman has such a gift for finding beauty in the everyday and heartbreak in the quiet moments. I loved Louisa’s journey, how it felt both physical and emotional as she pieced together the story behind the painting. The mystery was gentle, but the impact? Deep. The teens on that pier—messy, hopeful, hurting—felt so real, and by the end, I felt like I’d known them my whole life.

This is a book about the long reach of love, the legacy of chosen family, and how even the smallest, forgotten corners of someone’s story can become something sacred. It’s tender. It’s full of soul. And it stayed with me long after I finished.

Fredrik Backman has wrecked me again. My Friends is another creative and complex piece of storytelling which dives into humanity. This book contains at least three stories being told at once - the story of Louisa, the story of Louisa, the artist and Ted, and the story of the four friends. These stories are interwoven, and it all makes sense thanks to Backman's expert writing. I love Backman's writing style with all of its hidden surprises. It reminds me to never accept things at surface level. I remember to look deeper into those around me in order to love and live fully.

Backman is a master at writing emotions - not one at a time, but the many layers that humans can often feel simultaneously. This ability allows for the creation of complex and real characters who are not soon forgotten.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy. All opinions are my own.

I was really excited to get an ARC of the book, so thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. I've read other books by Backman and loved them, but this one was a bit harder for me to get through. It took me a long while, actually, and at one point I stopped reading for a few weeks. The first half of the book really kind of dragged for me, but once I picked it up again after the break, the last half went super quickly. As with his other books, I cried in several spots, and overall, I liked it.

My Friends is a moving, introspective novel where the characters are imperfect and vulnerable, and there's a lifelong impact of childhood friendships on them all. I would call it almost a meditation on memory grief and guilt. They know the complexities of growing up with emotional wounds that never quite heal; however, they also know the redeeming power of friendship.

Backman illustrates his ability to shine as he handles weighty themes, such as trauma, loss. and identity. As he does so, he adds a gentle touch with wit and moments of grace (which we all need). He structures his novel between present and past, slowly revealing the connections that shape a main character's life.

I was very impressed by how well the author captures the ache of grief and the hope of healing. There is a painting at the center of the book that becomes a metaphor for preserving the beauty of pain and eing alive. We all interpret art differently which is part of its beauty. Art is a frozen moment in time yet it lives forever.

This book is most likely going to cause its readers (as it did me) to be reflective. It's not fast-paced or action packed, but it's heartfelt and wise. If you love emotionally intelligent stories about flawed people trying to love each other better, this is the book you'll not want to pass up.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. I really loved every aspect of this book! It really defines friendship with moments of pure childhood bliss and also is so very heartbreaking. You will feel an entire range while reading this, but I wouldn’t take it back for anything. It’s very rare to find a book that you know will stick with you forever, and this story is one of those for me! I can’t recommend enough! 5+ stars!

5.0 Stars

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Fredrik Backman for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thoughts:
Once again I find my life changed forevermore by a Fredrik Backman read.

Simply incredible. He is truly one of the best writers for all generations. My heart was captured and broken over and over again with every chapter.

I will never not recommend a read by him, and especially this one. I have a new favorite!

Looking forward to seeing how he can outdo himself again in the future.

Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
E-book

Pace:
Medium

Cover thoughts:
Absolutely love! Out of all his covers, this one is the best!

Triggers:
Death, Physical/Mental/Emotional Abuse, Grief, Violence, Addiction, Swearing, Homophobia, Suicidal Thoughts, Bullying, Cancer, Mental Illness, Drug Use, Mentions of Rape, etc.

While not my favorite Backman book, this is a very enjoyable story. It moved a little slowly at first, but once I really got into it it was easy to be engrossed. That said, I was both pleased with the turn the ending took, but also a little disappointed. I would recommend for Backman fans.

As a huge Fredrik Backman fan I was ecstatic to receive a copy of this novel and it did not disappoint! My Friends is a beautifully poignant story of a young girl, Louisa ,and a middle aged man, Ted, as they come together on a journey. The story was so touching and beautifully written, a classic Backman novel and I could not recommend more

This book is simultaneously a coming of age tale, a tale of grief, of love and of friendship. Be prepared to reflect on the point where your childhood ended and the importance of childhood friendships.

Fredrick Backman’s latest novel is a coming-of-age story of childhood best friends, but told through the lens of years of perspective to a troubled adolescent. The multiple points-of-view are easy to follow, as Blackman takes his time to deeply develop characters and relationships. Only Blackman can take unlikable characters and make you fall in love with them. This story is emotional as each person has significant challenges in their lives, and the reader is aware that it will all be over after summer. I enjoyed taking the literal train journey and trip down memory lane with these diverse characters as they find ways out of their troubled situations.

I read that Backman struggled with writing this book and that it might be his last work. If it is, it's a beautiful book about the power of art and friendship to leave readers. I have loved all of Backman's books, and while the Beartown trilogy will always be my favorite, I have a soft spot for Louisa.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

After reading My Friends, I’ve become a die-hard Fredrik Backman fan. Yes, the book was lengthy, but I felt like I had traveled with people I yearned to meet in real life. It was truly touching!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Backman’s books are either you love them or you hate them. I fall into the love them camp since reading Beartown. I thought this one was going to be my first book I’ve ever disliked by him because the beginning was a bit not my cup of tea. I mean how many times can I read about teenage boy farts before putting the book down and giving up? The answer to that question is probably more than I should admit as a high school teacher. Once I was hooked, I finished it in a day. It just took me a while to get there!